It’s that time again. The Virginia Tech Hokies are wrapping up finals this week preparing for this weekend’s graduation ceremony. Commencement is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. on May 13 in Cassell Coliseum. About 1,000 Virginia Tech graduate and professional students are expected to receive degrees at the ceremony.

Betty Chao, founder of Westech International, will give the keynote address for this year’s commencement ceremony. Chao established Westech in 1994 as a one-person technical consulting business. Headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M., today the company employs about 800 people and has revenues of about $75 million a year.

Finding Employment in a tough economy

Hiring levels for Virginia Tech graduates have remained relatively the same, according to a newly released study by career services. Stuart Mease, director of undergraduate career services, noted student perceptions may not equate to the reality of the current job market. “Not all degrees have the same level of demand”.

The need is for students to develop skills outside of their particular major, comparing the job market to a game of Blackjack. “You never know what card is going to turn over,” says Mease.  Six months after graduation, 21 percent of graduates are still seeking employment, while only 2 percent have not begun to seek employment.

Rachel Dobroth, a senior communication major and president of the Tech chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, said jobs were a major discussion among her group’s members. Dobroth, who is still looking for a job, said she usually stressed finding work through networking and not from standard job listings. “The jobs that are most meaningful are found through people and not through job listings,” Dobroth said.

Mease says, “There’s a myth out there if you have a degree, then a job is going to come calling,”That’s definitely not the case.” There are certainly different realities for students based on skill sets they have.

Regardless of future plans, we wish all of the 2011 graduates the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Sources: Roanoke Time, Collegiate Times